District 9 (2009)

An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology.

Director:

Neill Blomkamp

Writers:

Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell

Stars:

Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 110 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sharlto Copley	...	Wikus Van De Merwe
Jason Cope	...	Grey Bradnam - UKNR Chief Correspondent / Christopher Johnson
Nathalie Boltt	...	Sarah Livingstone - Sociologist
Sylvaine Strike	...	Dr Katrina McKenzie
Elizabeth Mkandawie	...	Interviewee
John Sumner	...	Les Feldman - MIL Engineer
William Allen Young	...	Dirk Michaels
Greg Melvill-Smith	...	Interviewer
Nick Blake	...	Francois Moraneu - CIV Engineer Team
Morena Busa Sesatsa	...	Interviewee
Themba Nkosi	...	Interviewee
Mzwandile Nqoba	...	Interviewee
Barry Strydom	...	Interviewee
Jed Brophy	...	James Hope - Police Officer
Louis Minnaar	...	Piet Smit

Storyline

In 1982, a massive star ship bearing a bedraggled alien population, nicknamed "The Prawns," appeared over Johannesburg, South Africa. Twenty-eight years later, the initial welcome by the human population has faded. The refugee camp where the aliens were located has deteriorated into a militarized ghetto called District 9, where they are confined and exploited in squalor. In 2010, the munitions corporation, Multi-National United, is contracted to forcibly evict the population with operative Wikus van der Merwe in charge. In this operation, Wikus is exposed to a strange alien chemical and must rely on the help of his only two new 'Prawn' friends.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | 21th century | human turns into a creature | alien weapon | shirtless male | 

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Taglines:

For humans only. Non-humans banned!

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for bloody violence and pervasive language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

South Africa USA New Zealand Canada

Language:

English Nyanja Afrikaans Zulu Xhosa Southern Sotho

Release Date:

14 August 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sector 9

Filming Locations:

South Africa

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$37,354,308, 16 August 2009, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$115,646,235

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$210,819,611

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures,Block / Hanson,WingNut Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

All of the aliens in the film are CGI except the ones on operating tables in the medical lab. All of the speaking aliens were performed by one actor, Jason Cope, who also played correspondent Grey Bradnam. The dialogue for the speaking aliens was ad-libbed by Cope, and dubbed over in post-production.

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Goofs

If the fluid is all they needed to escape, why not use the fluid from the robot? It is controlled by electronics. We can even see the fluid dripping from the robot, when it is destroyed. And even if they have not any robots left, but the one at the Nigerians, killing the Nigerians, would be much easier then breaking in at MNU.

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Quotes

Wikus Van De Merwe: Get your fokkin' tentacle out of my face!

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Crazy Credits

The end credits are back to front, with the actors names on the left and character names on the right. As opposed to most films where its the other way round.

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Connections

Spoofed in The Simpsons: Holidays of Future Passed (2011)

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Soundtracks

10111
Performed by Molemi
Written by Motlapele Morule
Courtesy of 3rd Element Entertainment

User Reviews

The first science fiction masterpiece in years

I do not give out ratings of 10 lightly, but here it is - the first film in years that has been deserving of the rating.

Neill Blomkamp brings to screens a fantastic, gritty, realistic piece of science fiction with District 9. Not since Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner", John Carpenter's "The Thing", or James Cameron's "Aliens" have we seen a science fiction film with a vision of this caliber. After viewing District 9, it will be clear to one and all why Peter Jackson put so much faith in Blomkamp and took him under his wing as protégé.

Abandoning the usual settings of Hollywood sci-fi and placing us in the harsh slums of South Africa, we are given an original piece of work which takes risks in the way it tells its story. Not only does it go against the expectations of audiences who have been trained to expect mediocrity from their sci-fi, it goes above and beyond the call of duty to provide us with spectacle as well as something to ponder after we've downed our popcorn.

There is, thankfully, not an overused, overexposed celebrity in sight, and every unknown face in the film gives a solid performance. The aliens themselves, brilliantly realized with top notch CGI even manage to make us feel something, only rivaled by Gollum from "Lord of the Rings".

District 9 has so much to like. It's spectacular, darkly funny, entertaining and thoughtful all at the same time, and it's all done on a meager $30m budget. There is true talent on show here. If only there were more films like this, the world of cinema would be a more interesting place.